Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: August 2025

August 31, 2025 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

IT’S FOOTBALL SEASON. But also, here are all the books I read in August! I’m still on track to hit 400, just need to stay focused.

[ARC/ALC] For the Record by Emma Lord
[ARC] The Legacy of Ophelia (The Curse of Ophelia #5) by Nicole Platania
The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam (Hart and Mercy #3) by Megan Bannen
In the Veins of Drowning (The Siren Mage #1) by Kalie Cassidy
The Americana Playbook by Cathryn Carter
[Novella] Devotion of the Heart by Nichole Van
Problematic Summer Romance (Not in Love #2) by Ali Hazelwood
Deep End by Ali Hazelwood
[ARC] You & Me, For Real by Hayley Elliot
[ARC] A Sea View Christmas (On Devonshire Shores #3.5) by Julie Klassen
The Jasad Crown (The Scorched Throne #2) by Sara Hashem
Isles of the Emberdark (Cosmere) by Brandon Sanderson
A Promise So Bold and Broken (Compelling Fates Saga #2) by Sophia St. Germain
Glorious Rivals (The Grandest Game #2) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
A Summer Without You by Caitlin Moss
Accomplice to the Villain (Assistant to the Villain #3) by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Between These Broken Hearts (These Hollow Vows #4) by Lexi Ryan
Anywhere With You by Ellie Palmer
Deadwood (Secrets of the Serpentine #1) by Karley Brenna
Wrath of the Dragons (Fear the Flames #2) by Olivia Rose Darling
A Beguiled Gentleman (The Bradley Brothers #1) by Audra Wells
Immortal Consequences (The Souls of Blackwood Academy #1) by I.V. Marie
One More Made Up Love Song (Midnight Rush #2) by Jenny Proctor
[ARC/ALC] Falling Like Leaves by Misty Wilson
[ARC/ALC] If Looks Could Kill by Julie Berry
The Blonde Who Came in From the Cold (Blonde Identity #2) by Ally Carter
[ARC] Darkness Births the Stars by Sarah Lee Wohn
[ARC/ALC] Wild Reverence (Letters of Enchantment #0) by Rebecca Ross
[ARC] Stuck With You (Cal’s Garage #1) by Stacy Williams
The Dragon Wakes with Thunder (The Night Ends with Fire #2) by K.X. Song
Love is a War Song by Danica Nava
A Love Most Fatal (Morelli Family #1) by Kath Richards
[Novella] A Churn in the Virtual Society (Into the Churn #3.5) by Hayley Reese Chow
[ARC] What Fury Brings by Tricia Levenseller

ARC Book Review: One More Made Up Love Song (Midnight Rush #2) by Jenny Proctor

August 31, 2025August 22, 2025 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 341 pages
Author: Jenny Proctor
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: August 29th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Rule #1: Do not fall in love with your very famous boss. Rule #2: See Rule #1.

As the personal assistant of rockstar Freddie Ridgefield, Ivy Conway knows most women would love to have her job. It definitely has its perks. She gets to travel, the pay is great, and she’s among the first to hear Freddie’s new music.

The only problem? When she got the job, Ivy promised herself she would never fall in love with her boss. And it’s taking everything in her to stay true to her word.

Then Freddie kisses Ivy—an impulsive move to save himself from a little bit of bad press—and everything changes. Now, the whole world thinks they’re in love.

Even more Ivy could swear Freddie felt the same fireworks she did when he pressed his lips to hers.

What starts as an accidental publicity stunt quickly turns into something more, but fame makes everything more complicated. As Freddie’s spotlight grows to include her—and her family—Ivy starts to wonder if the life Freddie can offer her is worth the life she’ll give up. And how she’ll ever survive without him if it isn’t.

One More Made Up Love Song is a fake-dating rockstar romance with all the crackling chemistry and tension you want in a closed-door romcom. Perfect for fans of romance with a little less heat.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

MY NEWEST OBESSION.

GOSH I LOVED IT SO MUCH. This was exactly what friends to lovers, boss x assistant trope romance that I WAAAAAANT. The subtle moments about took me out because it was beautifully nuanced and left this sense of longing and yearning that I CRAVE. CRAVE Y’ALL. Bring back these kind of romances and I will be a happy camper forever.

I can’t even begin to list all of the scenes I loved. The pining was intense and I could not get enough of the glances and touches and the KISSES THAT LIT MY KINDLE ON FIRE.

And I really appreciated the strong friendships for both Freddie and Ivy. There’s something magical about the side characters adding genuine connection to the story that makes it even better. One of my new favorites from Jenny Proctor.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Romance
Language: low
Romance: kisses
Content warnings: loss of a sibling from drunk driving (recounted)

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Book Review: Isles of the Emberdark (The Cosmere) by Brandon Sanderson

August 30, 2025August 12, 2025 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy
Length: 465 pages
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Publisher: Dragonsteel Entertainment
Release Date: July 1st, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The Ones Above are starting to grow impatient and want to build an installation to breed and collect Aviar on one of First of the Sun’s islands. Vathi and Dusk are trying to figure out how to delay their progress and are also dealing with people from another world, likely Roshar. Dusk realizes that the people of First of the Sun are hopelessly outmatched and decides to go through Patji’s Eye, the perpendicularity on the island Patji, to try to enlist help.

OH HOW I LOVED THIS.

NOTE: I wanted to mention upfront that I don’t think this is the right book for someone wanting to try Sanderson for the first time. While it could totally be read as a standalone a lot of the joy I got from reading Emberdark was from the fact I knew all of the mentions of Sanderson’s other books and how they connect for a future Cosmere.

Now back to business. WHAT A GOOD BOOK. It absolutely has the Moana vibes everyone has talked about (even though it was written before Moana). I loved the seafaring adventure and seeing the Cosmere down the line and how all of the worlds have fused to new populations and situations. I loved all of these characters and the story and plot and ALL THE THINGS OKAY. I couldn’t put this book down and thought the audiobook was amazing too.

There’s just so many good tidbits and scenes I could talk about forever. And many important conversations and topics that I loved seeing included. This is easily one of my favorite secret projects (how many times have I said that now??).

Overall audience notes:

Fantasy
Language: low
Romance: none
Violence: moderate

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Book Review: Hearts That Cut (Threads That Bind #2) by Kika Hatzopoulou

August 29, 2025August 3, 2024 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 336 pages
Author: Kika Hatzopoulou
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: June 18th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In this heart-pounding, much-anticipated sequel to Threads That Bind , Io will face threats even more dangerous and players even more powerful as she discovers what it will mean to follow—or defy—her fate.

It’s been five weeks since Io left Alante to follow the golden thread, and she’s no closer to finding the god on the other end. She spends her days in constant, grueling travel and her nights worrying over the fate-thread she shares with Edei—which seems to be fraying. Making matters worse, she and Bianca soon realize that their only lead has shaken them off, snapped the golden thread, and disappeared.

But not before Io gathers some crucial clues. Her investigation leads her to a new mystery, a rash of sibling disappearances across the Wastelands that seems to be connected to the murders in Alante. And all signs point to Nanzy, the golden city, as the center of the whole conspiracy.

As Io and Bianca make their way to Nanzy, they make powerful enemies, find allies new and old, and uncover a horrifying plot that traces back centuries. The more Io learns, the more she begins to suspect that the future of the world may truly rest on her shoulders. But she will have to determine how much of the future is her choice—and how much is simply her fate.

I WAS BORED.

But honestly, this really went off the rails for me. I liked book one quite a bit and I’ve been excited to read the sequel but not one thing is truly standing out for me from reading this.

It felt like Io venturing around running into different gods, asking questions and then getting captured. Rinse and repeat. And the romance disappeared. It took Edei about half the book to even show up and the fate thread between them had lost its luster for me.

There were so many plot things happening that the character development was lost in the shuffle. I thought most of them seemed one dimensional and nothing standout.

Overall audience notes: